The present invention relates to a manual tool for holding articles of varying shapes, and more particularly to a manual vise for articles of circular, rectangular or any other shape which will hold such an article quickly and positively and will turn the article or will hold an article against rotation. The vise further is adapted to release the article by a simple procedure.
In machining workpieces, as when drilling an article of especially of weight and size on a drilling machine, the workpiece is susceptible to being forced out of place by the great torque of the drill, so that unless firmly held in position, the workpiece cannot be accurately drilled, and there is the possibility of injuring the operator. Thus the drilling operation requires a tool for holding the workpiece. Pipe wrenches, monkey wrenches and the like are generally known as tools for holding workpieces. However, such wrenches are heavy, difficult to use and capable only of holding workpieces of sizes which are limited to a narrow range. Moreover the distance between the holding members of the wrenches is adjustable only slowly by turning the screw. In fact, it is impossible to set the holding members apart by any great distance at one time by a single action. Wrenches have another drawback. Since the holding members are movable toward or away from each other as positioned in parallel, they are unable to hold articles of irregular shape having no opposed sides.